The college football offseason is the best of times: Coaches love to tell you they're all undefeated, the new recruits arrive to add some juice, and the strength coaches have everyone in the best shape of their lives. Meanwhile, the defenses are multiple and the offenses all have new wrinkles.
The offseason also is the worst of times: There aren't any dang games, for starters, and nobody knows that if the offense lighting it up in the spring game means it'll be great when it counts -- or if your own defense is just bad.
In the 230 days since last season ended, an entire conference on the West Coast evaporated, the entire Colorado Buffaloes team was encouraged by Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders to "jump in that portal" -- and, boy, did it -- and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin called the entire sport of college football a "disaster.